Method and apparatus for stacking and feeding fillable flexible containers (stand-up bags)

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for loading and subsequently dispensing a plurality of flexible baglike containers. In one embodiment the baglike containers are configured in an unloaded, empty, mode to be in a substantially flat configuration. These flat items are stacked flat into a batching container and (such as a cardboard box) dispensed “off the bottom” of the stack by a container loading apparatus. The container loading apparatus grasps the flat items, pulls them from the bottom of the stack, and then loads them through a feed hole as known in the art. 
     One of the inventions herein is the particular manner in which the flexible baglike containers are loaded into a stack within the batching container. Under this particular inventive manner, the bags are stacked in offset sub-batches. This provides improved stacking but still provides suitable dispensing characteristics. 
     Another disclosed concept is the use of multiple boxes and an automated feed system for said boxes to reduce associated infeed labor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the full benefit and priority of pending provisional patent application No. 60/863,219 filed Oct. 27, 2006, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Stacking and Feeding Fillable Flexible Containers.” The entire contents of said application are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the handling and packaging of items, and particularly relates to a method for providing, stacking, and feeding flexible containers having an uneven cross section such as that provided by a seal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is configured to be used in the container environment mentioned above.

The present invention further provides an improved method and apparatus for loading food containers.

The present invention further provides an improved method and apparatus for loading food containers, including an improved method and apparatus for reducing the manual labor needed in the infeed of empty containers just prior to loading.

The present invention further provides an improved method and apparatus for providing boxes of unfilled food containers, said boxes being configured to be readily positioned for automated infeed to the food loading apparatus, with a significant reduction in oversight and of the empty bag infeed process and associated labor.

Other features are provided and described in the claims as filed, hereby incorporated by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a stand-up package 10, which includes a mouth 11 at one end (proximate the upper right of the drawing), at the other end a base 16 including two base gussets 17, two opposing side edges 12, and a seal 20 approximately as shown in dotted line.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional illustrative view of the bag 10 shown in FIG. 2. This bag includes a mouth 11 (towards the right of the drawing), side panels 14, a base 16 including base gussets 17, and two seal portions 20A, 20B, respectively, which can be pressed together to make up an overall seal element 20.

FIG. 3 is an illustrative view of the bag of FIG. 2, except that it includes contents 5 therein, and is shown standing on its “base.” Dotted lines illustrate the two positions which the side panels 14 may take, with dotted lines showing the “open” position. The mouth of the bag is proximate the top of the drawing.

FIG. 4 is an illustrative side view of the bag 10 of FIG. 2 illustrating generally a closed bag thickness profile having a length “L”. As may be seen, the bag 10 is substantially flat along the majority of its surface, but for the seal 20 (at bump section “B”), which provides a “bump” in the profile of the bag thickness. Not shown is a slight increase in the thickness of one end of the bag due to the existence of folded gussets. The mouth of the bag is proximate the right of the drawing. This seal can be present to various seal configurations, including but not limited to zippers.

FIG. 5 shows an “offset stacking” concept contemplated by the present invention. As may be seen, sub-batches A, B, and C of stacked items 10 within the overall batch contained within the box container 100, are positioned as shown by loading from the top. Sub-batch “A,” is offset laterally relative to sub-batch B, which is itself offset relative to sub-batch C.

FIG. 6 illustrates an empty box 100, which includes a feed hole 110 having a width “H”. The box 100 also defines a stack width S. For clarity there are no bags within this box (a.k.a. container) 100. Side support shelves 105 having a width SS are also shown.

FIG. 7 (Previously 8) is an illustrative view illustrating the box-like container 100 including a plurality of stacked bags 10 therein. The lowermost (empty) bag 10L is shown being pulled off the bottom of the stack downwardly by one of two conventional suction cups 50.

FIG. 8 is an illustrative view illustrating the box-like container 100 as viewed from a location beneath the plane of the floor of the container. This view shows one manner in which the floor includes a feed hole 110 which extends in one embodiment the entire length of the floor. The side support shelves 105 comprising the remainder of the floor each have a width SS, which in one embodiment is 15 to 20 percent of the width of the pouches.

FIG. 9 is an illustrative view showing offset stacking and the relative positions of two suction cups 50. As may be understood the two suction cups come up in tandem, grip the lowermost bag, pull a bag 10 downwardly through a hole in the bottom of the box 100, and then move the bag away from the box. Typically this movement will be proximate the axis and direction of arrow “A”.

The offset stacking distance in one embodiment is at a minimum the length of the lip on the pouches (the lip being defined as the amount extending upwardly from the seal location). It may be understood that tear-out panel 107 is in place during the original charge of the empty bags 10 in the box 100; this panel (in one embodiment the length of the box) is removed prior to the box being placed into the position of FIG. 9. Other boxes 200 and 300 are also shown as examples of how other boxes could be stacked above, beside, or behind the box being discharged, these boxes being available to replace the box 100 once emptied and ejected.

FIG. 10 is an illustrative view illustrating a prior art method of stacking items such as 10, and the stacking difficulties inherent therein. This drawing is not to scale and exaggerates the bump accumulation.

FIG. 11 is an illustrative view illustrating a prior art method of “fanning” items such as 10 for downstream loading.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the present invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Each of these embodiments and each variation thereof, is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

A. Stand Up Bags Generally

Many varieties of bags for flowable products such as liquids, pastes, granulates, flakes, or powders are known. Some examples are “standup” bags, sachets, tubing bags, paper sacks, and even box-like bags such as milk cartons. The bags can be made from coated paper, plastic sheet, metal foil, or plastic-and-foil laminate. Generally, selection of the bag material is determined by the contents of the bag. Other factors which determine the choice of materials are appearance, ability to stand up when filled and/or partially filled, method in which the bags are shipped, strength requirements, need to recycle, and cost. Most known bags have not been able to sufficiently meet all these requirements. Flexible bags are advantageous because they can be folded extremely flat in their empty state so as to require very little space. The filling of such flexible bags with the product is generally performed in an automated operation. The bag is placed upright with its dispensing opening pointing upwardly to permit a filling nozzle to be inserted thereinto. After the bag has been filled, the dispensing opening is closed by welding, sealing, or a closure.

Conventional standup bags are those with bottom “horizontal” panel gussets, more commonly known as bottom gussets. The gusset is heat-sealed to produce a flexible base on which the bag may stand without support. The base permits the two sidewalls or facewalls to spread at the bottom when the pouch is filled, wherein the bag is a three-panel bag that is self-standing when full or partially full of product heavy enough to bear down on the bottom pane. In most instances, the bottom panel is a separate sheet of flexible material, but some structures fold a single web sheet into a W-shape and heat-seal a base.

Other standup bag structures known in the art employ sidewall folds or side gussets and overlapping flat sheet bases. These standup bags do not stand up as well because they do not have the bottom gusset and have been used more successfully for dry products than for liquids.

Such standup bags are adaptable for packaging of liquids and dry products and are suitable replacement for other types of packaging such as plastic or glass bottles, cans, and boxes. One of the advantages standup bags is that they are environmentally sound, offering source reduction of solid waste ranging from 70% to 90% by both weight and volume. As a result, the use of standup bags reduces the need for recycling landfill, and/or incineration. Another advantage of standup bags is that they offer the use of four to six color graphs for improved shelf appeal and acceptance. Standup bags further offer cost savings due to reduced transportation costs. Unlike the shipping of traditional large plastic empty containers, there is no shipping of air. There is further savings with reduced inventory save space and storage costs for containers. Standup bags take up about 1/80^(th) the volume compared to storing an equal quantity of rigid containers.

In general, standup bags may be classified as one of two types: preformed bags and form-fill-seal bags. Preformed standup bags are made on a separate converting machine and delivered to a packager in ready-to-open, fill-and-close form, while the form-fill-seal bags are fabricated in-line by the packager from flexible roll stock materials on machines that fold the sidewalls and die-cut openings for heat sealing into the bottom section.

B. General Bag Loading and Unloading

Generally described, the bags such as 10 in FIG. 1 are stacked flat within a box 100 such as is shown in FIG. 7. These bags are stacked in an “offset” fashion as shown in FIGS. 5 and 9 such that the thick cross sectional portions provided by the seals at 20 are not compounded together in the final stack.

The bags are pulled or otherwise moved from the bottom of the stack such as shown in FIG. 7 through a feed hole (such as 110 in FIG. 8) in the bottom of the stack.

C. The Bag 10

Reference is now made of FIG. 1 showing a stand-up package 10 having a mouth 11, side edges 12, a base 16, and one of two side panels 14 shown. Shown in dotted line is a seal 20.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional illustrative view of the bag 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 1. This figure illustrates the seal 20 separated as two sealed portions 20A, 20B, respectively, which make up the overall seal element 20.

FIG. 3 shows the bag of FIG. 2, except that it includes contents 5 therein, and is shown standing on its “base.” Dotted lines illustrate the two positions which the side panels 14 may take.

FIG. 4 is an illustrative side view of the bag 10 of FIG. 1 illustrating generally a bag thickness profile having a length “L”. As may be seen, the bag 10 is substantially flat along the majority of its surface, but for a particular seal 20 (at bump section “B”), which provides a “bump” in the profile of the bag thickness. Not shown is a slight increase in the thickness of one end of the bag due to the existence of folded gussets.

D. Stacking of the Bag 10

Reference is now made to FIG. 10, which illustrates a prior art method of stacking items such as 10 and the stacking difficulties inherent therein. As may be seen, the bulges B in the cross sections of the bags 10 cause a stacking difficulty, which as the bags accumulate, tends to accumulate a disadvantageous instability in the bag stack. As may be understood, this accumulated “bump” B is of particular concern with respect to stacking, in that these thicker areas can tend to accumulate quickly and cause difficulty in stacking the items.

Furthermore, pressure on the seals can tend to cause them to close, which is also disadvantageous in that downstream loading techniques often rely on an at least partially opened seal.

FIG. 11 shows a manner in which to avoid such stacking problems of FIG. 10, but which is disadvantageous in that typically labor is needed to provide such a stacking.

FIG. 8 illustrates an empty box 100, which includes a hole width “H”. The box 100 also includes a stack width “S”. It may be seen that there are no bags within this container 100. FIG. 7 (Previously 8) is an illustrative view illustrating the box-like container including a plurality of stacked stand-up packages 10 together of which make a “cartridge”.

FIGS. 5 and 9 show details regarding the “offset stacking” concept contemplated by the present invention. As may be seen in FIG. 5, sub-batches (a.k.a., subgroups) A, B, and C of stacked items 10 within the overall batch (a.k.a. “group”) contained within the box container 100, are positioned as shown. Sub-batch “A,” is offset relative to sub-batch B, which is itself offset relative to sub-batch C.

It may be understood that the offsetting in FIG. 5 includes two general stacking locations. As may be understood, the bags when being stacked would be offset every given number of bags stacked. For example, for every three bags, the offset stacker could offset its position, providing three bags in a “first” stacking position, three more bags in a “second” stacking position, and then repeating the process.

However, it should be understood that more than two separate stacking positions (such as is the case in FIG. 5) could be used in the offset manner, with three stacking locations being provided. It may also be understood that it is not necessary that a plurality of bags be included in each sub-batch—one bag could be used in each sub-batch. Subgroups of five, ten, twenty, and other numbers have been found suitable.

Therefore, it may be seen that this “offstacking” or “offset stacking” provides an improved means for stacking multiple items.

The Various Elements

-   -   5 Contents of bag     -   50 Suction Cups (typ)     -   10 Stand Up Package (a.k.a. “Bag” or “Pouch”)     -   11 Mouth     -   12 Side Edges (2)     -   14 Side Panels (2)     -   16 Base     -   17 Base Gussets (2)     -   18     -   20 Seal     -   20A, 20B Seal Portions     -   100 Box     -   101 Side Walls     -   102 End Walls     -   105 Side Support Shelves     -   107 Tear-Out Panel     -   110 Feed Hole (exposed upon tear-out of removable panel)     -   200 Next available box     -   300 Next available box

E. The Boxes 100

As noted above, the box-like containers 100 are configured to include a plurality of stacked stand-up packages 10.

Under one embodiment of the present invention, the containers do not include the feed hole 110 when the bags are first loaded into the containers 100; a removable panel (not shown) is in place, which may then be torn out (due to perforations or the like) or otherwise removed just prior to the container being introduced to the apparatus removing and loading the bags. The removable panel would provide support at the bottom of the container 100 during its loading and transporting stages, with the panel being torn out towards the end of its service life.

Under this configuration, once an empty box is sensed, the empty box would be ejected, a new box would be introduced, and the loading process would be continued.

F Feeding of Multiple Boxes 100, 200, 300

Reference is now made to FIG. 9, which illustrates not only box 100 in solid line, but also portions of boxes 200 and 300 in phantom. One significant advantage of the invention is the provision for not only improved feeding of the bags 10, but the feeding of the boxes.

It may be understood that there is a high need for manual labor involved in known prior art configurations, especially at relatively high bagging rates. However, due to the improvements provided by the invention, once the bags have been boxed, the use of a automated box feed system is possible as part of the present invention. Multiple vertical stacks or infeed lines, or both, of boxes such as 200 and 300 respectively may be used under the present invention. This feeding could be done from any side of the box, from above the box, or even from below.

This is a vast improvement over the prior art; essentially in order to provide a supply of bags to the bagging apparatus (not shown), all that needs to be done is for an operator to tear away strip 107 from the box the size of the feed hole 100 (perforations as known in the art may be provided), and then the box and other similarly prepared boxes may be loaded relative to the bagging apparatus such that once one box is empty, the box is automatically ejected and a new full box is available to feed the bagging apparatus. This is a significant improvement over the known prior art, as this allows for multiple boxes 100, 200, and/or 300 to be loaded for eventual automatic feeding and emptying, with little oversight needed but to make sure the boxes are replenished as needed. 

1. A cartridge for providing sequential access to a plurality of substantially flattened bags, said cartridge including: a plurality of flattened, selectively sealable bags configured to lie substantially flat but for a seal location at the substantially same location along each flattened bag thickness, said seal location presenting a bulge being thicker than the nominal thickness of said bag; and a dispensing box defining a cavity for accepting said plurality of bags in a stack such that said bags lie substantially flat one atop another along a stack axis substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the substantially flat bags, said cavity having a depth to accept said stack and a rectangular cross section taken having a predetermined length and width, said cavity width generally corresponding to the width of said flattened bags, but said cavity length being greater than the length of said flattened bags a predetermined off-set distance; said bags being stacked in a predetermined off-set configuration in the such that the bulge of at least one bag does not align with the bulge of at least one other bag as the bags are stacked within the cavity, thus reducing the potential compounding of the bulges within the stack.
 2. The cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of bags are stacked in a configuration which includes a plurality of bag subgroups, each bag subgroup being stacked one atop the other such that each of their bulges are one atop the other, but with each subgroup being offset relative to each vertically adjacent subgroup such that the substantially aligned bulges of one subgroup are also offset relative to the substantially aligned bulges of the other subgroup.
 3. The cartridge as claimed in claim 2, wherein said box includes a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn.
 4. The cartridge as claimed in claim 2, wherein said box includes a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn, but said floor still includes two side support portions dimensioned to support the weight of said stack within said box.
 5. The cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said box includes a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn, but said floor still includes two side support portions dimensioned to support the weight of said stack within said box.
 6. A method for providing a cartridge for providing sequential access to a plurality of substantially flattened bags, said method including the steps of; providing a plurality of flattened, selectively sealable bags configured to lie substantially flat but for a seal location at the substantially same location along each flattened bag thickness, said seal location presenting a bulge being thicker than the nominal thickness of said bag; providing a dispensing box defining a cavity for accepting said plurality of bags in a stack of flattened bags lying substantially flat one atop the other, said cavity having a depth to accept said stack and a rectangular cross section taken having a predetermined length and width, said cavity width generally corresponding to the width of said flattened bags, but said cavity length being greater than the length of said flattened bags a predetermined off-set distance; and loading said bags in a stack within said box cavity to provide said cartridge, such that said bags lie substantially flat one atop another along a stack axis substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the substantially flat bags, said loading being conducted such that said bags are stacked in a predetermined off-set configuration in the such that the bulge of at least one bag does not align with the bulge of at least one other bag as the bags are stacked within the cavity, thus reducing the potential compounding of the bulges within the stack.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said plurality of bags are loaded in a stack within said box such that they are stacked in a configuration which includes a plurality of bag subgroups, each bag subgroup being stacked one atop the other such that each of their bulges are one atop the other, but with each subgroup being offset relative to each vertically adjacent subgroup such that the substantially aligned bulges of one subgroup are also offset relative to the substantially aligned bulges of the other subgroup.
 8. The cartridge as claimed in claim 7, wherein said box is provided to include a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn.
 9. The cartridge as claimed in claim 7, wherein said box is provided to include a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn, but said floor still includes two side support portions dimensioned to support the weight of said stack within said box.
 10. The cartridge as claimed in claim 6, wherein said box is provided to include a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn, but said floor still includes two side support portions dimensioned to support the weight of said stack within said box.
 11. A method for providing a cartridge at a first location for providing sequential access to a plurality of substantially flattened bags at a second location, said method including the steps of; providing a plurality of flattened, selectively sealable bags configured to lie substantially flat but for a seal location at the substantially same location along each flattened bag thickness, said seal location presenting a bulge being thicker than the nominal thickness of said bag; providing a dispensing box defining a cavity for accepting said plurality of bags in a stack of flattened bags lying substantially flat one atop the other, said cavity having a depth to accept said stack and a rectangular cross section taken having a predetermined length and width, said cavity width generally corresponding to the width of said flattened bags, but said cavity length being greater than the length of said flattened bags a predetermined off-set distance; loading said bags in a stack within said box cavity to provide said cartridge, such that said bags lie substantially flat one atop another along a stack axis substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the substantially flat bags, said loading being conducted such that said bags are stacked in a predetermined off-set configuration in the such that the bulge of at least one bag does not align with the bulge of at least one other bag as the bags are stacked within the cavity, thus reducing the potential compounding of the bulges within the stack; transferring said cartridge from said first to said second location; and dispensing said bag from said stack in a sequential manner at said second location.
 12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said plurality of bags are loaded in a stack within said box such that they are stacked in a configuration which includes a plurality of bag subgroups, each bag subgroup being stacked one atop the other such that each of their bulges are one atop the other, but with each subgroup being offset relative to each vertically adjacent subgroup such that the substantially aligned bulges of one subgroup are also offset relative to the substantially aligned bulges of the other subgroup.
 13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein at said first location said box is provided to include a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn, and wherein at said second location said removable panel is removed prior to the dispensing of said bags at said second location.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein at said first location said box is provided to include a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn, but said floor still includes two side support portions dimensioned to support the weight of said stack within said box, and wherein at said second location said removable panel is removed prior to the dispensing of said bags at said second location.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein at said first location said box is provided to include a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn, but said floor still includes two side support portions dimensioned to support the weight of said stack within said box, and wherein at said second location said removable panel is removed prior to the dispensing of said bags at said second location.
 16. A method for providing a plurality of cartridges at a first location for providing sequential access to a plurality of substantially flattened bags at a second location, said method including the steps of; providing a plurality of flattened, selectively sealable bags configured to lie substantially flat but for a seal location at the substantially same location along each flattened bag thickness, said seal location presenting a bulge being thicker than the nominal thickness of said bag; providing a dispensing box defining a cavity for accepting said plurality of bags in a stack of flattened bags lying substantially flat one atop the other, said cavity having a depth to accept said stack and a rectangular cross section taken having a predetermined length and width, said cavity width generally corresponding to the width of said flattened bags, but said cavity length being greater than the length of said flattened bags a predetermined off-set distance; loading said bags in a stack within said box cavity to provide said cartridge, such that said bags lie substantially flat one atop another along a stack axis substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the substantially flat bags, said loading being conducted such that said bags are stacked in a predetermined off-set configuration in the such that the bulge of at least one bag does not align with the bulge of at least one other bag as the bags are stacked within the cavity, thus reducing the potential compounding of the bulges within the stack; providing a plurality of cartridges per the steps above; transferring said cartridges from said first to said second location; and dispensing bags from said cartridges at said second location by emptying one cartridge at a time by dispensing said bags from said stack in a sequential manner for each cartridge.
 17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said plurality of bags are loaded in a stack within said box to create each cartridge such that they are stacked in a configuration which includes a plurality of bag subgroups, each bag subgroup being stacked one atop the other such that each of their bulges are one atop the other, but with each subgroup being offset relative to each vertically adjacent subgroup such that the substantially aligned bulges of one subgroup are also offset relative to the substantially aligned bulges of the other subgroup.
 18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein at said first location each said box is provided to include a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn, and wherein at said second location said removable panel is removed prior to the dispensing of said bags at said second location.
 19. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein at said first location each said box is provided to include a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn, but said floor still includes two side support portions dimensioned to support the weight of said stack within said box, and wherein at said second location said removable panel is removed prior to the dispensing of said bags at said second location.
 20. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein at said first location each said box is provided to include a floor including a selectively removable panel configured such that once said panel is removed, the bottommost bag in the stack within said box may be withdrawn, but said floor still includes two side support portions dimensioned to support the weight of said stack within said box, and wherein at said second location said removable panel is removed prior to the dispensing of said bags at said second location. 